


Because you Said So

by Knaija



Series: Learning to Say No [3]
Category: A Pink (Band), Infinite (Band), Teen Top (Band)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Crushes, Dating, Dongwoo is mature, F/M, Forgiveness, Jealousy, M/M, Mentorship, Multi, Pining, Polyamory, dilemma, woohyun is a matyr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-16
Packaged: 2018-05-31 07:55:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6462151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knaija/pseuds/Knaija
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Myungsoo is going through a tough time trying to make a decision and Sungyeol doesn't know how to be there for him...</p><p> </p><p>Or the one where APink goes on dates with Teentop and Infinite gets in the way</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chunji Gets It

**Author's Note:**

> the whole APink crush thing has kind of had a reaaaalllly slow build through out the series. i hope to address some of it here.

Sungyeol crossed his legs as he stretched out on Neil’s bed, tapping a pen as he thought. He ran through his entire day, rethinking the jokes he told during the shoot and the better ways he could have said it… how he could have said it… when he could have said it. If Sungjong was the sassy hyung, he was the fun, crazy one. That had always been his image.

Woollim had a new boy group called Jetesy and they had just begun a pre-debut reality show with Sungjong and Sungyeol as the hosts/mentors. Since Jetesy had four members, they had spent the whole first day sorting all four boys into two groups, each to be headed by Sungjong or Sungyeol. Both groups (Team Yeol and Team Jong), were selected based on a series of tests and games directed and refereed by Sungyeol and Sungjong.

By the time they were done, Taesan (the group leader) and Syco (maknae) were on Team Yeol, while Jerry (rapper/main dancer) and Taein (main vocal) were Team Jong. Most of the shooting was done in the new Jetesy dorm that had been rushed into completion. While they had been assured that most of the running around would be done by the boys, Sungyeol knew from experience that even though the script did not say, there was going to be a lot of athletic activity.

Sesame player had started out as an outing and then all of a sudden, after one member’s fine idea about running down a street and next thing you know, they have a series of Infinite members trying to “escape” the managers. Sungyeol welcomed any reason to be crazy, but he just wished they’d be more upfront about it this time.

Neil entered the room, rubbing his head with a towel as another hugged his waist. Sungyeol looked up from his notes.

“You washed your hair.” Sungyeol said. “I’m almost proud.”

“I used Chunji-hyung’s shampoo.” Neil said. “It’s fun when he’s not around.”

“Right. Where is he? I hardly see him these days.” Sungyeol sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

“No one does. We didn’t see him for a week and then he showed up yesterday and was gone this morning.”

Neil frowned.

“What?” Sungyeol asked, setting his notepad and pen down on the nightstand.

“I don’t know.” Neil shook his head. “We’re not supposed to talk about it.”

“Talk about what?” Sungyeol worried. “Neil-goon, you can tell me anything.”

“Okay.” He said, resigned. “It’s like… I don’t know. Some of the members are saying Chunji might be leaving us.”

“Why would you think that?”

“He’s hardly home. The songs we’re promoting have been re-worked to fit without him. And this year, Shinwa refused to attend SM’s Boy-toy Auction. Andy-hyung offered Teentop to replace them. Chunji was supposed to be the rep but he got pulled out last minute. Andy-hyung wouldn’t tell us anything but he put Changjo in his place. It’s weird. It’s almost as if… as if-”

“They are getting ready to remove him.” Sungyeol said, watching the blood drain out of Neil’s face.

“Yes.”

Sungyeol could not imagine what Neil was going through. What the rest of Teentop was going through. If someone wanted to leave Infinite, Sungyeol could not even think of what he’d do. Many years of threatening to leave and he’d never considered anyone else wanting to leave _him_. He’d be devastated.

“Minsoo-hyung organized a group date for us with APink and he showed up for that, so I guess that’s a plus. But then he left this morning.”

Sungyeol lost all sympathy for Neil.

“A group date? That’s why you ditched me last night.”

“It was group bonding.” Neil defended himself, his voice hitched above normal. “We were hanging out with girls. I wasn’t going to choose you over that.”

“Neil, you’re gay.”

“I’m bi.”

“You’re really not.”

“You don’t know that.” Neil said in denial and Sungyeol just stared at the silly fool.

“You’ve never been with a girl before.”

“Which is why I can’t say with certainty that I don’t want to be.”

Sungyeol shook his head and returned to his notes as Neil headed to his drawers and began rummaging in it for cloths.

Something clicked in Sungyeol’s head.

“Wait… did you say APink?”

*********

A chorus member showed up for rehearsal with a cold that spread through the entire set like wild fire. When it got to Dongwoo and he couldn’t sing anymore, the producer called a three-day hiatus for the entire cast. Dongwoo welcomed the rest and returned to his apartment where he spent the better part of the first two days stuck to his remote and his phone. Sunggyu tried to be nice, but that didn’t last long. Howon didn’t even know Dongwoo was ill because he was in the honey-moon phase of his relationship and he barely did anything besides work and Seungri. Sungjong stayed for the first day but by the second day, he had to go to work with Sungyeol. Woohyun kept sending him soup and meals, like clockwork but refused to be in the same room as him because PT was still recording and he wasn’t going to risk an infection. Myungsoo…

Well, no one saw Myungsoo anymore.

By the third day, Dongwoo was still feeling like crap so he decided he would take a walk or do something besides lie in bed all day. He put on a new set of clothes, not bothering to shower and then threw on a large sweater and a beanie as he slipped his inhaler into his pocket. There was napkin in his right pocket and a couple of serviettes in his left. Fully armed and ready, he left his apartment that afternoon and took a walk down the stairs, hoping to meet nobody.

He managed to make it to the ground floor but as he looked back up, he decided he’d had enough of cardio. So Dongwoo headed to the elevators. As he waited for the doors to close, he nodded a song to himself, quietly.

Then he heard a familiar voice heading towards the elevator, just as it was closing, so he stepped forward and held it open.

“Oppa.” Namjoo said, happily surprised. She settled nicely beside him, smiling at him as her companion, Hayoung, nodded at Dongwoo, a bit more tersely than usual.

“To your floor?” He asked as he pressed it for them.

“Oppa, you look sick.” Namjoo said, placing a hand on his forehead and Dongwoo nearly leaned in, stopping himself just as his eyes fluttered close.

“It’s just a cold.”

Hayoung stepped away from him but Namjoo leaned in closer.

“Have you eaten? Should I stop by? Sungjong isn’t around. I can come keep you company.”

“Unnie.” Hayoung said, looking at Namjoo pointedly in a way Dongwoo had never seen. It was as if she was trying to say something to Namjoo without Dongwoo hearing. Namjoo blushed and stepped away from Dongwoo.

In all the years he had known Namjoo, Dongwoo had witnessed a lot of phases. The shy phase, the let’s-sit-next-to-Dongwoo-oppa phase, the sitting-in-Dongwoo-oppa’s-lap phase, the flirting phase and, most recently, the innuendo phase. Namjoo had never been subtle. And in all that time, Dongwoo had never seen her step away from him in shame like she had just done. As if talking to him had been a mistake.

“Did oppa do something to offend you?” Dongwoo asked.

“No!” Both of them said, looking shocked but guilty.

The elevator dinged open on their floor and they alighted, waving nervously at Dongwoo. He could not help but hate the unease their behavior had stirred up.

He dragged himself back to his apartment, knowing he would have to call in sick the next day because the three days was not enough for him to get better. He went back under his blanket and slept the afternoon away, only to be awakened by the man Woohyun usually sent to drop off Dongwoo’s food. As he waited for the tray to be dropped of in the kitchen, Dongwoo held the door open because the man never really wasted much time.

As he looked into the hallway, Dongwoo noticed a tiny package by his door and bent to pick it. He opened it as he let the door shut while the man left and found two pink food flasks in it and a note tied to the cover of one of them. He set the food down on the table in his sitting room and opened the note.

“Get well soon, oppa.” It read but didn’t have a name signed.

Dongwoo had never been more confused.

*********

Sungyeol was eating dinner in front of the television in Woohyun’s apartment because he was a lazy/cheapskate who wouldn’t cook or buy food to save his life. Sunggyu sat beside him, fiddling with the remote but not settling on any channel. Myungsoo had called, saying he’d show but Sungyeol doubted he would. That was how it was these days. Myungsoo making plans that he didn’t keep.

It was no secret that Infinite’s 2016 would be busy and _not_ together. With all their solo or separate schedules and plans for the year, they were all grateful for the few times they could spend together but Myungsoo ditched plan after plan.

To wrap it all was the everlasting riddle as to why he hadn’t made up his mind about his new drama. Woollim was silent about the issue and even Sunggyu knew little about it except the fact that the holdup was on Myungsoo’s end. No one knew why. Sungyeol would ask Myungsoo, if he ever saw him for more than five minutes.

“Maybe he’s leaving Infinite.” Woohyun said, lightly as Sunggyu and Sungyeol looked up at him in horror.

“Don’t joke about that.” Sunggyu said, seriously.

“I don’t know. Am I?” Woohyun continued. “He’s too secretive these days. He’s drawn into himself, he’s more quiet than usual. He doesn’t even hang all over Yeolie anymore and I think Yeolie’s going through withdrawal.”

“Hyung-” Sungyeol was about to protest.

“Oh please. You live off of Neil every time you and Myungie fight. And these days, you’ve been spending all your free time with him.”

“Well, I’m here now.” Sungyeol said, mouth full of food.

“Yes, why are you here?” Sunggyu asked, eye brows raised.

“Teentop went out on a date.”

“You say that like Teentop’s a person.” Woohyun said, joining them in the sitting room with his own plate of food.

“They have a group thing with APink, I think.”

Woohyun’s back went straight at that. Sungyeol noticed.

“APink?” He asked, trying to appear calm. “Since when?” “

I don’t know. This is like the second time this week.”

“So… what?” Woohyun asked. “Is this like a thing or…?” His eyes drifted to Sunggyu. “Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“They are hanging out with Teentop… going on dates.” Woohyun said.

“I’m not their leader, Woohyun. I can’t control who they see.”

“But…” Woohyun said. “They are ours… our… our fri…ends. Aren’t we all PT?” He said, uneasily and Sunggyu looked at him.

“We don’t own APink, Woohyun. None of us are dating them. If APink wants to date other idols, let them. After all, how many times do you hear them complain when Infinite dates other people?”

“You’re kidding me, right?” Woohyun asked, looking like Sunggyu as if he was crazy. “They mess our relationships up all the time. Every time we’ve tried to get close to another girl group, they’ve ruined it. When you and I started hanging out with Soojung and Jiae. When Howon went for Amber’s birthday and Hayoung showed up and caused a scene till he had to bring her home. When we got close to Sistar. Every single time we’ve tried to have other idol-girl friends, APink’s cock-blocked the shit out of us.”

“So it’s tit for tat?” Sunggyu asked.

“No, hyung.” Sungyeol said. “He’s right. If it was us, APink wouldn’t just let us hang out. Not to talk of it was an actual date. Neil said they’re dating… not hanging out.”

“Even Naeun?” Sunggyu asked.

“Yes, hyung. Even your ex.” Sungyeol answered smugly.

Sungyeol knew they’d gotten Sunggyu’s attention. They may be broken up, but that was still a fresh wound and who knew what really went on in that situation.

Personally, Sungyeol didn’t really care because he was the gayest member in the group but it just seemed unfair that APink would do that to them almost all the time and yet, Sunggyu was just going to allow them to go scot-free. Sungyeol was always down for mischief and it also was an added bonus that he got to annoy Neil in the process.

*********

Myungsoo sat on the roof of Lee Byunghun’s Korean home in the middle of Seoul as a Welcome Back to Korea party raged a few feet below. He really wasn’t in a party mood but seeing as Byunghun said he would be in town for a week or so, Myungsoo chose to hide out, away from the prying eyes and listening ears of Infinite.

He drank from his glass, twiddling the cigarette in his hand. He wasn’t supposed to smoke anymore but he doubted Sungyeol would mind if he knew the amount of stress Myungsoo was under. He took another sip, staring at the tiny demon in his hand. He wouldn’t need to go home until Byunghun left. So if he took this one, he could be well sure that he’d have washed it from his skin and mouth by the time he got home.

He fumbled around his pocket for a lighter but found nothing.

“I thought I’d find you here.” Byunghun called, poking his head out from the window of the room Myungsoo had commandeered as his since Byunghun’s return.

“Hyung.” Myungsoo noted as he sat back, putting the cigarette into his pocket. If Sungyeol hated that he smoked, Minjung-noona was even worse about her husband smoking. And he would never hesitate to smoke and then blame the next person. Which, in this case, was Myungsoo. After Minjung pulled his ear till it turned red the last time, Myungsoo was clearly aware of the rules, now.

“Why are you moping?”

“Why are you using me to escape your party?”

“Because my wife can smell it when I enjoy myself without her.”

Myungsoo hummed and took another sip.

“What’s with you? How’s our new movie?”

“It’s not my movie yet, hyung.” Myungsoo said unable to help himself.

“Why? What happened?”

Myungsoo was aware that the news had already gone out that he’d be in a new drama but no one knew that the decision was far from made. He could not even understand what part of any of it was his decision. He was nothing but a pretty puppet.

“You know about SM’s Boy Toy Auction, right?” Myungsoo asked and Byunghun nodded. “Well, I represented Infinite this year. I got off the shelf for 125 thousand dollars.”

“What?” Byunghun asked, unbelievingly.

“Beat Howon from last year. He was 115.” Myungsoo said. “But you see, the lady who bought me, she didn’t just want the standard deal where they get to parade their boy-toy for a week at their company event or whatever.”

“She wanted to sleep with you?”

“Yes.”

“Come on, Myungie, that’s normal.”

“Not for me, it isn’t.” Myungsoo said, looking at him in horror. “I’m not just going to roll over for anyone.”

“Fine.” Byunghun said, raising his hands in defense.

“No one’s forcing you to.”

Myungsoo inhaled, trying to breathe. He hadn’t told anyone about it. Not even Sungyeol.

“So I show up to my contract signing, and she’s sitting right there, looking at me like she’s won something and I find out she’s the producer. The main sponsor. And I’ve been bumped down from the first male lead to the villain who shows up in episode four.”

Myungsoo pulls up his leg, hiding his head between them. Byunghun rubs his back, soothingly.

“Myungie, are you telling me you’ve never slept with someone for a role, before?”

“I haven’t.” He mumbled from between his legs.

“Wow.” Byunghun said. “That’s just… wow.”

Myungsoo raised his head and looked at his mentor: the man he hoped to model his acting career after.

“Have you?”

“Yes.” Byunghun said, looking a little ashamed of himself. “We all do, eventually.”

“Not everyone.” Myungsoo said. “I know there’s someone…”

“Like who?” Byunghun asked.

“Jaejoong-hyung?”

Byunghun laughed.

“Is that what he told you?” Byunghun asked.

“I’ve never asked, but I always assumed…”

“With his pretty face? I’m sure not only women have asked him.” Byunghun said and Myungsoo winced at the tiny undercurrent of homophobia in Byunghun’s voice. But then Byunghun looked at Myungsoo in remorse. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s okay, hyung.” Myungsoo said, waving him away. “Anyway, she said she’ll still give me the role if I sleep with her. Apparently, she’s “generous”. But hyung, I don’t want to do it.”

“Myungie…” Byunghun began in pity and Myungsoo didn’t want his pity. What he wanted was the first male lead of the high school movie.

“Would you do it? Right now. If someone offered to give you a role in return for sex, would you do it?”

“If it was when I first started out, yes. It’s more common than you think. But not now.”

“Why?”

“For starters, I’m a married man. Plus, it does help that I’m an award-winning, Hollywood-based star now. And having Storm Shadow on anybody’s drama or movie in Korea is _me_ doing _them_ a favor. No one would be stupid enough to bait me.”

Myungsoo looked at him in agony.

“Hyung, don’t take this the wrong way-”

“Already taking it the wrong way.”

“But you’re a terrible role-model.”

Byunghun laughed.

“I didn’t ask you to model your life after me.” Byunghun defended himself.

“Infinite prides itself on being one of the least scandalous idol groups in Korea. And I will not put myself through a second round of scandals just to land a role that might not even be mine.”

“Myungsoo it is just sex.”

“But it’s not.” Myungsoo said miserably. “And I doubt it’ll be just once.” Myungsoo finally finished his drink and dropped the glass by his feet.

“Is this why you’ve been hiding out here?” Byunghun asked him. “Afraid of talking to Infinite? Have you talked to Sungyeol?”

“He doesn’t know.”

“Don’t you think he’d be better equipped to help you through this than I am?”

“I look up to you.” Myungsoo said.

“Yeah and this might have nothing to do with your feelings for him and not wanting to appear childish or naïve. Maybe you’re afraid he’s been offered this same deal before and he’s taken it.”

Myungsoo knew he was right. With how desperate Sungyeol was for drama-roles, he’d be surprised if Sungyeol said he’d never had sex for a role. That was why he didn’t talk to Sungyeol: why he’d run away and hidden out of sight, hoping to postpone the truth.

“How’s that going, by the way?” Byunghun asked.

“He likes me, too.” Myungsoo said, holding his legs together and rocking back and forth.

“Really?”

“Our Maknae had some sort of mental breakdown and spilled secrets.”

“Your group is just full of weirdoes.” Byunghun said. “No offence.”

“None taken.” Myungsoo said, dryly. “You’re right. I don’t want to talk to him and find out he’s done it.”

“Don’t think less of him if he has.”

“I could never. Sometimes, I think I’ve convinced myself he built Korea.”

“Believe me, everyone knows.”

“No, they don’t. Most of the time, it’s fan service.”

“Is it really? All the weird touching and the hanging on him like he’s a pole. It’s a bit much, even for fan service.”

“Then how come he doesn’t see it?”

“I’ve tried to tell you for years that he’s just as stupid as the world thinks but you argue. Every single time.”

“He’s not stupid.”

“There you go again.” Byunghun said, picking up Myungsoo’s glass as he got to his feet. “Let me refill this.”

Myungsoo pulled out his phone as Byunghun entered the room through the window. If Byunghun was right, then everyone had done it. He’d done it, Jaejoong had done it. Even Sungyeol. Everyone he held dear had had sex for roles. What was he to do but follow? How hard could it be? Besides the self loathing and the hangover he was going to get the morning after for drowning himself in alcohol the night before just so he could get it over with.

Myungsoo sighed, about to call his manager when his phone rang.

“Hyung.” He said to his manager.

“I’m sorry, Myungsoo-yah.”

“Hyung, what is it?” Myungsoo asked, sitting up.

“They gave the role away. The producers just called Woollim.”

_This could not be happening._

“They took your role away… and they gave it to Teentop’s Chunji.”


	2. Everyone Goes Clubbing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teen Top is the enemy

The Infinite members were spread around Myungsoo’s and Sungyeol’s apartment as they watched the news in anger. The poor unsuspecting journalist, going through scenes from Teentop’s previous activities and focusing on the visual, Chunji, had no idea how many people were more than willing to kill the messenger, as it were.

It was established, pretty early in their relationship, that Sungyeol could do nothing to comfort anybody. And this had been just fine because Myungsoo hardly ever needed comforting. It was Sungyeol who got shut down at auditions. It was he who sat back and watched as he members got offered roles he’d have loved to play. He’d stayed home an entire year without schedules while the other members went out and did stuff before. His hair fell off that time.

And through it all, he’d always known that when Myungsoo came home, he’d be treated to some serious spoilage and snuggling. If Myungsoo doted on him every single day –regardless of the presence of camera or fans- it was nothing compared to what he did when Sungyeol was having a bad time.

But Sungyeol was useless as comfort. He stood by the kitchen wall, not watching the television because there was only one thing worth his attention. And there was nothing he could do. His jokes would be in bad taste and no one was in the mood for them at the moment. And he could not help feeling disloyal that he’d heard the news from Neil who was extremely ecstatic that Chunji was not leaving Teentop.

“Another reason to hate Teentop.” Howon said, shutting off the television.

“Guys, come on.” Dongwoo said. “It’s not like that.”

“He knew the role was Myungsoo’s. They’d confirmed it a couple of weeks ago.”

“We all know that’s not how these things work. People leak info before it’s been signed. Besides, he’d never have known Myungsoo was still considering it if they offered it to him.”

“He could have asked.” Woohyun said, rubbing Myungsoo’s back and Sungyeol felt stupid that he hadn’t even thought of that. Maybe a back rub is what he should have done the moment he entered the apartment. Or a hug. He should have at least offered a hug.

He was so unintelligent.

“Why _did_ you take so long, hyung?” Sungjong asked slowly as everyone turned to look at Myungsoo. “What happened?”

“I just wasn’t feeling it.” Myungsoo lied. Sungyeol could tell. Myungsoo was a terrible liar.

“It’s a high school, action movie, Soo.” Howon said. “That’s what you wanted. You were excited about it.”

“I was. But then I changed my mind.” Myungsoo said, pouting as he leaned back in his chair.

“So you’re okay with this?” Sunggyu asked.

Myungsoo was silent. It was obvious that he was not okay with any of it. Sungyeol wasn’t and it wasn’t even his role or career. Whatever had been keeping Myungsoo from taking the job had to be something important for him to clam up and not crumble under the weight of Infinite’s curiosity.

Woohyun’s ring tone broke the silence as everyone straightened, looking to their phones on instinct but he got to his and waved it as he answered the call, still rubbing Myungsoo’s back. Sungyeol would have liked Woohyun to stop that already.

“Chorong?” Woohyun said as everyone looked up at him. “Yes… what happened?... you could have told us earlier… no, no one is blaming you… no, it’s no problem… I’m sure they’d understand… okay.” He cut the call.

They all looked at Woohyun.

“They’re not coming.” Woohyun said, tossing his phone behind himself on the sofa.

“What do you mean, they’re not coming?”

“They have a schedule.”

“In the night?”

“It’s a video shoot for Acube.” Woohyun explained, looking irritated.

“Okay, now they’re just being disrespectful.” Howon hissed. “We’d never do that to them.”

“Let’s just take a deep breath and think about this before we go do something stupid.” Dongwoo said.

“I’m in the mood to do something stupid.” Myungsoo said, looking up from his place on the sofa.

They stared at him and Sungyeol could understand their silence. Infinite: who would do anything for each other but were too often not given enough tools or information to make that happen. This was so much more than Myungsoo losing a role that he may or may not have wanted. This was a clear representation of Infinite and their fear of replacement at a time that they may have begun to assume that they had arrived.

Chunji could not be more handsome or more qualified for the role than Myungsoo was. And even if he was wasting time in accepting, he was Infinite’s visual: they were supposed to hold on and not treat him like a rookie. Sungyeol wondered at their blatant disrespect for him and his stance and he knew that even though they all looked like they were trying to comfort Myungsoo; they were all very worried about what this would look like. An Infinite member getting switched out for another idol without as much acting experience?

That was a hidden, disappointing statement, in and of itself.

“Guys.” Sungyeol said, seeing a chance to make Myungsoo all better. “I think I have an idea.”

*********

The day before the roster for PT came out Dongwoo was offered his role on Westside Story. He called CEO-nim and apologized. He’d been an idol for years and he’d had about a couple theater gigs. He would rather take the role than go on tour with APink, not that he was not grateful for the consideration.

That night, he called Howon to suggest that he go as PT’s male rapper. Howon was a little thrilled because he knew he’d be done with _Hiya_ by the time recording began and he’d have time. For all his noise about having time to rest while other members fulfilled schedules, Dongwoo knew that Howon would kill himself without anything to do. He made Howon call the CEO before they decided to release PT with two Infinite guys and three APink girls.

Dongwoo was thrilled and excited to be on set every day. There were three other idols in the cast: Super Junior’s Ryewook and Wonder Girls’ Hyerim. Compared to them, he was a rookie in the idol world, but he’d done theater before. So when Ryewook teased him calling him “Sunbae”, Dongwoo tried not to blush. But the rest of the cast were also excellent.

They’d obviously worked together a lot and knew each other pretty well. Dongwoo even saw a girl who’d been in the chorus of _In the Heights_ with him and Sunggyu the year before. Granted, it was a bit lonelier, at first, what with Dongwoo being an introvert in places where he knew no one. But two weeks into rehearsals and Dongwoo had been having the time of his life. Now that they’d entered the third week, he was even more comfortable than before.

Dongwoo stretched, that morning, as soon as he’d changed, twisting his body around because without Howon, he always felt like he didn’t do enough. And the stretching they made the cast do as a group was, quite frankly, _not good enough_. So he pulled at everything, stretched it out, kicked it out and then jumped around a little to relief the kinks. Just another day at the office.

“Oppa.” He heard someone whisper as he turned around to see a girl standing behind the entrance to the theater that he’d come through about fifteen minutes earlier, just before he began his routine.

“Who’s… Namjoo?” He asked, squinting and going closer to her. “What are you wearing?”

She had on the standard Idol-cancelling get up, with the hoody and the mask and the shades. But she was wearing long baggy trousers, loafers and (this was the worst part) a beaded/woolen sling bag that Dongwoo never even knew she could stand beside. He wanted to laugh.

“I came to watch you practice.”

“No one here is a saesang, Namjoo.” Dongwoo said. “Who are you hiding from?”

“No one.” She said, standing up straight as if she hadn’t just been hiding a few seconds ago. “

Your members aren’t here, either.”

Even with the shades on, Dongwoo could tell he’d hit the nail on the head. After everything had been explained to everyone about the dating and the avoidance that other Infinite members had witnessed with APink girls, it became pretty obvious that the entire group was trying to distance themselves from Infinite. For whatever reason.

“I’m not hiding from my members.” She said, walking into the hall as she took off the shades and the hood, but kept the mask on. “I just came to see you.”

“I never thanked you for the soup you left for me when I was sick.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said, shaking her head and Dongwoo nodded.

“Of course you don’t.” Dongwoo led her up the seats to the back where the chairs were higher than everywhere else and they sat down.

“Don’t you have practice?” She asked. “That’s why I came, you know.”

“I usually come thirty minutes early to get a little workout down.”

“Oh. I followed you.” She said, honestly. “Must have roamed the entire complex trying to find which theater you were in.”

Dongwoo laughed, imagining her in her awful get-up, having to explain to staff, and probably security, that she was an idol and not some young saesang trespassing.

“Did you get caught?”

“A couple of times.” She said. “One man actually succeeded in lifting me and taking me out of the building before I took off my mask and shades. He let me back in.”

“And yet, you still put it back on.” He said.

“It goes with the entire look.” She defended.

“Dongwoo-shi.” One of the managers called, beckoning him to the stage as the director arrived and the other cast members began to converge.

“Will you be here till it’s done?”

“Yes, oppa.” She nodded.

“Good. We can go home together.”

She shook her head in fear.

“I think I’ll just go back the way I came. Surely you guys would want to eat together when it’s done?”

Dongwoo felt horrible that they were all now lying to each other and avoiding each other and that it had come to this. APink that was the other side of the Infinite coin and vice-versa. He knew that she wouldn’t even tell him why so he didn’t both to ask. But that did not mean that it didn’t bother him or any of the other Infinite members.

As Dongwoo matched down the way, headed for the stage, he could not help but feel that this might be one of those times when no one would fault him for being pushy.

*********

Sungyeol sat in the booth Infinite had procured when they got to Lounge Hana, hearing but not really listening to a grouchy Woohyun who kept asking him every five minutes if he was sure. Sungyeol tuned him out after a while, choosing to focus on the dancing, drunk Myungsoo who was sandwiched between two girls that he allowed to put their hands in very private places.

“He might have meant tomorrow night.” Woohyun said again and Sungyeol hissed and looked at him.

“Why don’t you go join Sunggyu-hyung?” Sungyeol suggested, pointing at Sunggyu who was chatting up the bartender like the cliché that he was.

Woohyun followed his gaze and shrugged.

“Not interested.” He said tapping the lid of his glass till Sungyeol couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed Woohyun’s hand to still it and stared at him.

“If you’re so nervous, then drink the damn thing.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Woohyun asked. “You’ve been very prickly all night.”

“I’m just tired.” Sungyeol said, hoping Woohyun would buy it.

He didn’t.

“If you want to talk to him, just do it. You live in the same apartment. How hard could it be?”

“He’s hiding something from me.” Sungyeol said.

“Impossible.”

“I think something happened between him and Byunghun-shi.” Sungyeol said.

Woohyun rolled his eyes.

“Again with the jealousy, Sungyeol.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“Then what do you call it?” Woohyun asked. “He is a _married_ man.”

“Like you’ve never heard of in-the-closet.” Sungyeol shot right back. “I know what I’m feeling.”

“Myungsoo would never do that. Not now that he knows you like him.”

Sungyeol couldn’t help the bile that rose in his throat. He could still remember it, plain as day, when Sungjong had opened his mouth and given Sungyeol new reasons to murder him in his sleep.

 _“Yeolie-hyung, we’ve all seen the woodies you’ve popped every time Myungsoo-hyung rubs himself all over you.”_ Sungjong had said as Sungyeol had stiffened because Myungsoo had stiffened because –as usual- Myungsoo was wrapped around him like an octopus. He couldn’t hear anything else that went on after that because all of a sudden, he was so much more aware of Myungsoo than he had ever been. And he never even thought that was possible.

Myungsoo fidgeted behind him, his heart beating like a cornered animal. Sungyeol was so busy trying not to move too much, that he hadn’t realized Myungsoo’s hold on him had tightened till Sungyeol could no longer breathe.

 _“Soo…”_ Sungyeol had whispered, causing Myungsoo to unlatch himself as he blushed. If Sungyeol wasn’t so mortified, he would have thought it was cute.

But he was, so he didn’t.

He’d wrongly believed that something would happen between them. That if the band aid was ripped off, he’d finally grow his balls back. But then, Myungsoo disappeared. So nothing happened. And now that he was back, he was being weird.

“I’m not sure that’s changed anything. Byunghun-shi-”

“Oh my god! If I have to hear you bitch about him one more time.”

“Myungsoo’s behaving like he did the first time he went out and had sex. He wouldn’t talk to me. And when he did, he’d avoid my eyes or keep someone between us. He’s acting guilty like he’s gone and done something wrong.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Byunghun-shi was in town for a week to scout for his new movie. And the entire time, Myungsoo didn’t come home, once. Do you really want to tell me you believe he wasn’t staying over there?”

“You need to stop thinking the worst. You’ll grow crazy.”

Sungyeol could not believe Woohyun’s hypocrisy.

“Hyung, we’re sitting in a night club, waiting for your crush and her date to come here so that you can ruin their entire experience just because they went on _one_ date.”

Woohyun’s face went tight with fury.

“What’s your point?”

“Imagine if Eunji spent the night in Teentop’s dorm.” Sungyeol hissed. “I’d like to imagine how _not-crazy_ you’d be.” Sungyeol said.

Sungyeol felt it the moment he struck a nerve, because Woohyun got out from the seat opposite Sungyeol’s in the booth, walked around and slid in beside him, causing Sungyeol to back away till he hit the wall, caught with nowhere to go.

“I’m going to be blunt so you don’t mistake my opinion for bias.” Woohyun said, steadily, no longer needing to shout now that his face was mere inches from Sungyeol’s. “Myungsoo just lost a movie deal that he wanted and so he’s a wreck now. He’s going through something serious. He’s never been this down and I understand that that might be strange for you, seeing as _you’re_ the one with the character flaw and the self hate and the need to destroy other people’s feelings when you get shut down at, yet, another audition. But this time, he’s actually feeling it. It’s your job to be his friend and not go around making insinuations that would only drive him further away when you could have comforted him. PT is going on tour and Dongwoo would be… _is_ … busy. You’re hyung now, so you better step up and stop being petty.”

By the time Woohyun was done, Sungyeol felt like a crappy piece of work. And he assumed that was Woohyun’s point. He looked up and noticed Minsoo enter the club from the door over head.

“They’re here.” Sungyeol said, nodding as Woohyun followed his gaze.

“Show time.” Woohyun said, downing his drink.

_*****_

Dongwoo refused to play their silly games. They had expected as much because Dongwoo was not the most diabolical Infinite member. Not even a little bit. Being the monogamous person he was, he hardly ever went out when the members did and there were too few instances that he didn’t even count Namjoo’s constant interference as an issue.

In the five years they had known APink, Dongwoo had been in one relationship for the first three and after that, he’d gone on a couple of double dates and one group date. Namjoo had shown up for two out of the three dates and Dongwoo never minded. So he didn’t have any ill feelings toward her. Left to him, he’d be in his room, sleeping. Or eating. Or playing Sungjong’s IPod with the sitting room speakers because Sungjong was deep like that.

But seeing as he was sure his members were about to get shit-faced, he took the van out and brought them to Lounge Hana, taking up mantle as manager-driver for the night. Someone had to do it. It may as well be him.

*********

Howon had had to do all sorts of things to Seungri to get him to not show up at Lounge Hana that Friday. He promised a lot of things too. Promises he would never repeat out loud or outside of his or Seungri’s bedroom. But he was finally here and he planned to destroy any plans Hayoung had of having fun. Unluckily, she didn’t make it very easy on him.

Sungyeol was going to inform them of the next date for their outing while each of them showed up and stuck to the girl that had caused them grief in the past. Howon thought this would mean Hayoung sitting or dancing or drinking with _one_ Teentop member. _She_ didn’t get that memo. Hayoung danced around the entire club, rubbing against almost anybody she could find, causing Howon to follow around doing the exact same thing on the other side of anyone she settled on.

She had laughed him away the first few times, hoping to leave him behind but after a while, she began to look disgruntled: evidence that it was becoming obvious just how stuck to her Howon was for the night.

“Oppa, where is Seungri-oppa?” She shouted into his ear when they were finally alone, in between preys. She looked uneasy and kind of pissed, but he could tell she was trying to be light.

“He’s at home. He has the flu.” Then Howon made a face at her.

Clearly annoyed, she turned around and went in search of the room Teentop had rented. Howon waited and followed behind her till she thought he had forgotten her. The moment she entered one of the private rooms, Howon followed.

The room was almost full, considering Infinite and Teentop and APink were all in there. The U-shaped couch was occupied by a couple of trios but at the edge, sat Hayoung and so Howon moved in.

The moment her eyes fell on him, Howon nearly laughed. He walked right up to her and sat on the other side of her date who was… Neil? Howon’s day just got better. Poor Hayoung was laying her eggs in the wrongest basket, being that Neil was gay as day. So he switched tactics.

Howon flirted with Neil, running his hands up and down Neil’s thigh, speaking into his ear, looking into his eye, paying him a lot more attention than Howon ever had in the six years they’d been acquainted. Neil went from surprise to flirty, ignoring Hayoung, where she sat looking at Howon as if he was the devil.

He was just as snarky as Howon, returning jibe for jibe and the few times he tried to touch, Howon had brushed him off, but continued with his own touching so that Neil eventually figured he’d rather just sit down there and take it.

*********

Sungyeol had his work cut out for him because Myungsoo refused to go into the room the moment he saw that Bomi was paired with Chunji. Seeing as he was the only one without a target for the night, he decided to take Myungsoo’s place and ruin Bomi’s night.

Chunji and Bomi were two people Sungyeol didn’t have anything in common with. So he told horrible jokes and laughed on his own and then whenever they tried to block him from each other, he would switch seats and be in their way.

He could tell they wanted to spend time with each other from the way they kept looking at themselves when they thought he wasn’t looking. But too bad, he had his own ideas.

Sungyeol was one of the only two members of Infinite who didn’t start out as straight and then discover along the way that they had he gay gene. They’d always known. And among friends, it was not exactly something they hid. So he’d never had a reason to be flocked or possessed by an APink girl because he never even went on any of those things.

With Chunji just recently acquiring Myungsoo’s role, Sungyeol was more inclined to punish him than he was to punish Bomi. In fact, Sungyeol never really minded when Bomi played the jealous girl friend because, then, he wouldn’t have to do it. She was doing him a favor.

But tonight, favor or not, Bomi was the enemy.

*********

Sunggyu pulled Woohyun away from looked like the beginnings of a testosterone battle and took him outside the room.

“I need to get back in there, hyung.”

“I don’t know what to talk about.”

“You dated for three years, hyung. I’m sure you can figure that out.”

“No, really. There’s nothing to say. We’re still awkward with each other.”

“Then flirt with Minsoo.”

Sunggyu raised his eyebrows.

“Howon is doing it just fine. Minsoo’s gay anyway.” Woohyun said.

“I’m not.” Sunggyu said.

“Really, hyung?” Woohyun asked, tilting his head to the side challengingly.

“I’m not going to flirt with a guy. I’m still figuring stuff out.”

“Well, then think of this as practice.” Woohyun patted his shoulder. “For when you decide to date the _real thing_.”

With that, Woohyun slipped back into the room.

Sunggyu took two deep breaths before following him. He retook his seat beside Naeun and Minsoo were they were both fiddling with their phones. She looked up at him, clearly uninterested in talking to Minsoo and Sunggyu could see why both of them were paired together. Minsoo was probably doing this for his members and so didn’t even get to pick the girl he wanted because he didn’t want _any._ And from what Sunggyu knew, Naeun had her own issues why she would never be in a relationship and so hadn’t picked a guy either.

Both of them naturally, fell to the bottom of the barrel and probably just got shoved together even though they never had any intention of doing anything.

 _Hmm,_ Sunggyu thought in joy. Well, if that was the case, he didn’t have to do anything either. He pulled out his own phone and flipped it on as three of them just sat there.

Fiddling and fiddling away.

*********

Sungjong could tell Ricky and Namjoo were not interested in each other. In fact Ricky appeared to be more interested in him. Namjoo only had eyes for one guy on the planet and no amount of APink/Teentop dates was going to spoil that for her.

So the three of them spent the night playing drinking games and just being silly.

At some point, they drunk dialed Andy, Teentop’s agency’s CEO. Once his voice sounded through the speaker, Ricky’s eyes cleared and he became sober. The three of them left to find some water or something clear their heads further.

*********

“Repeat that, you little shit.” Woohyun said, standing up as Changjo stared up at him, unsure of what he had said to tick Woohyun off. Again.

Woohyun couldn’t even remember why he was so angry but all he knew was that Changjo was paying too much attention to Eunji and causing her to smile and laugh as if he wasn’t sitting right there.

“Hyung, I didn’t-” Changjo began before Eunji stood up and pulled Woohyun into the corridor.

 _Again._ He was acutely getting tired of the grey walls.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Eunji asked.

“I was just blowing off some steam.” Woohyun said.

“Don’t play games with me.” She said firmly in a voice he had never from her before. “I know why you and your members are here.”

“Good. Then we’ve succeeded.”

“Fine. You’ve done your worse, you can go home now.”

“Not without you guys.”

“Arrrgghhh!!!” Eunji shouted, banging her head on the wall. “You need to leave. I am trying…” She inhaled, unsteadily and Woohyun noticed that she was crying. “You and your members have to get out of here.”

“Why are you crying?”

“WHY DO YOU THINK?” She screamed, ignoring the people passing by and looking at them.

“Eunji-”

“You have strung me along, long enough and I am trying to move on.”

It was Woohyun’s turn to get angry.

“So it’s okay for you people to troll our dates and destroy activities but when we do it, you’ll cry? Girls.”

Woohyun decided he’d better leave anyway. Before he said something he’d regret.

“It’s because of you, all this is happening.” Eunji said and he turned back around to look at her.

“How? Did I do something to make you think this was okay?” Woohyun asked. “If so, I’ve been greatly misunderstood.”

“Namjoo found the naked pictures I sent to you oppa.” Eunji said with tears in her eyes.

“What?” He asked, confused. How was that his fault?

“She… they all asked me to call you just so they could hear us flirt.” She said. “And I didn’t want to tell them you’d been ignoring me for months.” More tears fell. “So I called and your butt picked the call. And the phone was on speaker and you were talking to Sunggyu about me.”

“When was-”

“You said you couldn’t be with me because I was in APink. Because I _am_ a member of PT.” She laughed dryly. “We all heard you. Every single one of those girls in there heard you destroy crushes that they’d built up for so many years with your “noble” reasons.”

Eunji shook her head.

“Chorong was right not to fall for any of you. She’d been telling us all along how bad it would be if we dated you but we didn’t listen. She basically said the same things you did. It’d be bad for the group… we are like a family… family doesn’t sleep with each other… what if we break up? What if we fight? What if, what if what if!” Eunji said, looking up at him. “You can’t even imagine what it’s been like for some of them. Hayoung just turned 20. She’s never been on a date. She assumed Howon would like her eventually but now he’s dating a guy. Naeun and Sunggyu broke up. Bomi knows that as long as Sungyeol is alive, she doesn’t even stand a chance, Namjoo’s pretty much still hung up on Dongwoo-oppa and me…”

Woohyun took a step towards her, hoping not to spook her.

“And you?” He said, prodding.

“I’m in APink, oppa. It’s just as you said.” She wiped her eyes. “I’m trying to move on. Maybe you should let me.”

She opened the door and entered as he stood in the hall unable to fully comprehend what just happened.

*********

Chorong tucked in her shirt as she emerged from the bathroom with L.Joe in tow, doing the same thing with a happy smile on his face. She gave him one last kiss before they opened the door to the room Teentop had booked for the group date and couldn’t help it as the smile fell off her face.

Hayoung was sitting alone, with Neil nowhere to be found.

Bomi was doing the same thing with Chunji missing, as well.

Naeun and Minsoo were sleeping with their heads tilted back against the headrest.

Namjoo seemed to have disappeared.

Eunji was crying as Changjo sat beside her, unable to calm her down.

“I think it’s safe to say our members don’t mix very well.” L.Joe said.

“What gave you that idea?”

*********

Myungsoo lit another cigarette, leaning on their van as he waited for the members to come out so they could leave. He could not take another second in that club and the place was beginning to suffocate him. He felt so stupid.

If he had just taken the deal… it’s not anything would have changed. Everyone did it. It was just sex. That’s all it was. And while he continued to convince himself that it was just sex he’d lit cigarette after cigarette, not even realizing he was cleaning a pack out.

Earlier in the evening, when he first left the club, he’d called his manager and told him to bring the contract the next day. If not sleeping with the producer had bumped him down to the second male-lead, he may as well take the role. Even though he was now playing support to a rookie actor.

“…Lounge Hana.” He heard a familiar voice say. “No, they’re alright. I just need to go home. The night is crap anyways.”

“Well, well, well.” Myungsoo called, walking around the van so that the new addition could see him.

“Myungsoo-hyung.” Chunji said, bowing slightly. “I wondered where you were.”

“Why?” Myungsoo asked.

“I didn’t know I’d see you today but when I saw your members, I assumed we’d meet.”

“Why?” he asked again.

“I wanted to thank you.” Chunji said, walking up to Myungsoo. “If you’d never turned down the role, I’d never have gotten it.”

Myungsoo hissed and Chunji recoiled.

“Who did you sleep with?” Myungsoo asked, dropping the cigarette and stepping on it.

“Excuse me?”

“Who… did you… sleep with?” Myungsoo asked as if Chunji was retarded.

He looked offended.

“I didn’t sleep with anybody. Andy-hyung called me and-” Chunji tried to explain but was cut off.

“Liar!” Myungsoo spat.

“Don’t call me a liar.”

“Or what?” Myungsoo challenged.

Chunji smiled sardonically.

“Oh. I get it.” He said. “You didn’t turn down the role.” Myungsoo’s body went cold. “They called you in for an audition and you botched it.”

Myungsoo punched him and Chunji fell. He sat on the floor, rubbing his hand to his face before he looked at it and saw the blood. Angry, he rushed at Myungsoo but Myungsoo was ready for him. The two of them fought, tossing and turning on the ground till Myungsoo felt someone pull him off of Chunji as someone else was holding Chunji up.

“Myungsoo.” Dongwoo called, holding him back as he fought to reach Chunji who was doing the same thing but was held back by Sunggyu and Woohyun.

“Myungsoo, would you stop that?” Sunggyu chided and Myungsoo’s gaze steadied finding Sunggyu where he was. “What the hell is going on?”

“He punched me.” Chunji said angrily. “Right after he accused me of exchanging sex for my role.”

“Soo…” Sungyeol said as Myungsoo shrugged him and Dongwoo off.

Chunji shrugged off Sunggyu and Woohyun’s hands before he walked away.

*********

The ride home was stilted and quiet as everyone in the van had nothing to say. Sungyeol’s mouth felt like ash as he replayed the entire thing in his head. He’d only ever seen Myungsoo that angry and it was with him. It was very difficult for anyone else to provoke such a reaction. Sungyeol was more worried than ever.

As Dongwoo parked the car, they got off and Myungsoo’s phone fell out of his pocket and unto the car seat. Sungyeol picked it up and was about to call out to Myungsoo when a message came in. Without meaning to, he read it as it pinged.

**P.Shi: Your manager called.**

**P.Shi: If you want the second male lead, here’s my address…**

**P.Shi: You know what to do.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After The Club

**P.Shi: Your manager called.**

**P.Shi: If you want the second male lead, here’s my address…**

**P.Shi: You know what to do.**

Myungsoo read the text about twice before he understood what he was supposed to know that he should do. By the time he was reading it the third time, he knew that Sungyeol knew what it meant. He tried to leave and follow the hyungs to the elevator but he felt a tug at his arm.

“Does that mean what I think I means?” Sungyeol asked.

“Let go of me, hyung.” Myungsoo shrugged his hand but Sungyeol wouldn’t let go.

“Who’s that, Myungie?” Sungyeol insisted.

“Let go.” Myungsoo said. “Now.” He stared down Sungyeol as Sungyeol let go.

Myungsoo was so angry that he’d read the text but he wasn’t about to engage Sungyeol in any argument at all before they mistakenly found themselves in a particular conversation that he didn’t want to have. Not at the moment. Not ever.

By the time they got to the elevator, the hyungs had gone so Myungsoo pressed the button vigorously as if that would make it descend faster. He didn’t care. He just wanted to leave. He could feel Sungyeol’s gaze on his back, but he wasn’t going to acknowledge him so he just stood there, waiting.

The doors opened and Myungsoo rushed in, pressing the number for their floor with just as much enthusiasm. He did not even want to think of the fact that he and Sungyeol were going back to the same apartment. He’d still have to look at him. Avoid him. Pretend he wasn’t a few feet away.

They got closer to Dongwoo’s floor and Myungsoo figured he’d just get off there and spend the night away from Sungyeol but Sungyeol pulled the red lever and the elevator halted to a stop. Before Myungsoo could understand what was happening, Sungyeol jumped in front of the button and stood blocking his vision and way.

“I’ve given you too much time and that’s enough. You’re going to talk to me now.”

“Other people use this elevator you idiot.” Myungsoo hissed.

“Did she ask you for sex before? Is that why you didn’t get the role?”

“I am not going to talk about this with you?” Myungsoo paced the tiny space from wall to wall.

“You never talk about anything with me.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Did she try to sleep with you?”

Myungsoo looked from Sungyeol to the wall behind him where he knew salvation lay. If he answered, he could be on his way and once given that freedom, he wouldn’t have to look at Sungyeol for a while longer.

“Yes. Now, please let the damn elevator go.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“That’s none of your business.”

_Don’t engage, Myungsoo. You should not engage._

“I know that look, Myungie.”

_DO NOT ENGAGE!_

“Talk to me, Myungsoo. Are you thinking of sleeping with her for a role?”

_Just close your eyes and think of food… think of sleep… think of anything but this conversation._

“Nothing good has ever come from sleeping with a producer for a role.”

As the words left Sungyeol’s mouth, Myungsoo could not help as he turned to look at him in disdained shock.

“You sad hypocrite.” And he was engaging. “Nothing good… are you kidding me?”

“Myungie-”

“You want to look me in the eye and tell me that you, Mr. Desperate-for-ANY-role, have never sold yourself for a role?”

There! He’d finally asked it.

Sungyeol blinked in pain as he halted for a second.

“It was once.” Sungyeol said and Myungsoo had to turn around to hide the hurt that was searing through him.

He could not believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. Sungyeol was just trying to make a point from experience that he did not have. He was just lying.

“Just one time.” Sungyeol said and Myungsoo covered his ears. “I hadn’t gotten a gig for years, Soo. And at the end of the day, they still went with someone else. It was very-”

“Stop…” Myungsoo shouted. “Talking.” He could feel himself shaking but there was nothing he could do to calm down. Sungyeol had done it. Like every other cheap actor out there. “You are vile and disgraceful. But thank you for letting me see that that’s how I can get a role.”

“Myungsoo, please don’t do it. Didn’t you just hear what I said? I didn’t get the role.”

“Yeah, but that’s because you’re a horrible actor.” Myungsoo said and now, he could smell the hurt coming off of Sungyeol.

“You’re going through a tough time, so I’m… I’m not going to hold that against you.”

“You can do whatever the fuck you want. Let me out of here.”

“Myungsoo, listen to me-” He stepped forward but Myungsoo stepped back and hit the wall behind him. He felt cornered so he shoved Sungyeol back instead.

“No, you listen to me. Before you climb on your high horse, hoping to be “leader” right now because the hyungs are busy remember that this is not Infinite F. It’s an individual schedule and it has nothing to do with you.”

“You don’t have to have a schedule. We can-”

“CEO-nim offered me the Jetesy mentorship first. Did you know?”

Sungyeol’s lips quivered in anger. Myungsoo knew a punch was about to come his way so he braced himself, clenching his fist in anticipation, but it never came.

“You want a fight and I get that.”

“No, you don’t. I want you to leave me alone. I never tell you what to do when you’re going through a hard time. If this is your idea of being there for me, you’re doing a shitty job of it.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want you,” Myungsoo said, walking up to Sungyeol so that he was cornered. “To think about the fact that had I not had a drama contract to sign, you would be the one in need of some comfort.”

As Sungyeol stood there, between an angry Myungsoo and an unyielding wall, Myungsoo could see him grasping at understanding. In Sungyeol’s moment of confusion, he shoved him aside and pulled the lever as the elevator shook into motion again. Sungyeol stood there, quietly and Myungsoo knew that if he turned around, he would be looking at a Sungyeol so broken and hunched in on himself that Myungsoo might have to step into comforting mode. So he didn’t look back.

And when the doors dinged open on their floor, he stepped out and headed for their apartment, not caring that no footsteps followed him behind.

*********

Dongwoo heard voices coming from the sitting room as he entered the apartment. He recognized Sungjong’s shoes and knew he was home but there was a strange pair of snickers that he’d not seen before and a blue pair of pumps that he prayed belonged to a girl and another not one of Sungjong’s friends going through a phase.

He took off his shoes and jacket as he entered the house feeling his stomach growl.

“Oppa!” Namjoo squealed from her place on the floor between Teentop’s Ricky’s legs and Sungjong’s where the two boys were sitting on the sofa.

“Namjoo.” He said cheerily, coming to sit on the chair beside them.

“Hyung.” Sungjong and Ricky greeted as Ricky got up to bow. Dongwoo waved him back on his seat.

“What are we watching?”

“Ricky wanted to see Come Over Now.” Namjoo said, crawling away from the other two of come and sit beside Dongwoo’s leg. She managed to last ten seconds before she pouted and then separated his legs and sat between them on the floor.

Dongwoo chuckled, allowing her to do what she wanted. He always let her do what she wanted. It’s not like he could stop her… not like he wanted to. Sunggyu had teased him many times about allowing Namjoo to molest him. But it wasn’t molestation when he liked it, was it?

“Oppa where were you?” She asked, placing her arm over his leg.

“We were in the same place.”

“I didn’t see you.”

“I was at the bar… not drinking. Designated driver.” He said, pointing at himself.

“Oppa: so responsible.” She said, leaning her head on the other leg. “You could have looked for me, you know.”

“Nah. My members were being naughty.”

“Oppa isn’t naughty?” She said, looking up at him through her eye lashes in that fake-innocent way she did almost all the time.

“Oppa is a good guy.” Dongwoo said, looking back at her and she blushed. Dongwoo laughed.

“That’s why oppa is so boring.” Namjoo pouted.

“Oh, so oppa is boring now?” Dongwoo goaded. “Why are you here with the boring oppa, Namjoo?” He teased.

“Because I like boredom, oppa. It gives me something to do.” She looked away. “Something to change.”

“Oppa isn’t trying to change, Namjoo.”

“I figured that out a while ago.” She mumbled. “Your dongsaeng is going to wait, oppa.” She informed him.

“Hyung, I think we’ll turn in.” Sungjong said, getting up and pulling Ricky to his feet.

“Ricky-goon, aren’t your members going to look for you?”

“Neil-hyung is here, too. He called Minsoo-hyung and told him so we’ll leave together in the morning.” Ricky was saying as Sungjong continued to man-handle him into his room.

As the door banged shut, Dongwoo decided it was time to send the lady home. They’d never been alone before and Dongwoo did not know if he was curious enough to see what she would try now or if he was too freaked out to test it. But, eventually, he figured his curiosity was stronger than his fear so he sat there, with Namjoo on the ground, leaning against his legs, and waited.

She, however, didn’t move. She just laid there, her head turned up to the ceiling and her eyes closed with the most content look on her face. Dongwoo had assumed she’d probably jump his bones with no one else in the room, considering the things she did when people _were_ in the room. He finally had to concede to the fact that that was always the extent of what she was ever going to do. If she’d ever had any nefarious designs, she probably could have done them already. In font of people, regardless. Dongwoo shook his head at her.

“Okay. You can’t sleep on my leg. I’ll die in the morning.” He said, pushing her up. “Up, up, up. Let’s get you home.”

“Oppa.” She whined but allowed him to stand up. “You’re walking me, right?”

“Yes.”

“I have a better idea.” She said, turning him around and jumping on his back. He instinctively caught her leg as she got her piggy-back ride without his consent. He should have seen that coming.

“How will we wear your shoes?” he asked.

“Just give them to me to hold.”

Dongwoo put on a pair of rubber slippers as he bent down –with Namjoo still on his back- and picked up her pumps. He gave them to her to hold as he opened the door to the house and headed out.

As they walked to the elevator, she hummed in his ear. He could feel her breath from her nose during the pauses in her tune and sometimes, Dongwoo would have sworn she had taken a whiff of him when she was between notes. She was so cute and freaky, it was nearly confusing.

“I know what your members were doing tonight, oppa.” She said. “Why didn’t you follow them?”

“Haven’t we established that I’m boring?” He tried to joke but when she didn’t laugh, he felt flat. Namjoo was being serious. “I didn’t support what they were doing.”

“Even so, oppa.” She said as they got off the elevator on her floor and headed for her door. “I was going on a date with another boy. Weren’t you going to react? At all?”

“You’re free to do whatever you want.” Dongwoo said.

Namjoo tensed on top of him. Then she started squiggling out of his grasp, trying to get down from his back. Confused, Dongwoo let go and she fell to her feet.

“Oh my God!” Namjoo said. “I am so stupid.”

“No, you’re not.” Dongwoo said in confusion.

“You’re not even a little bit jealous?” She looked like she wanted to cry.

“Namjoo, you were on a date with Ricky.” He said.

“So what?” “He’s gay.”

“You didn’t know he was my date.” She said, sniffing. “You’re never going to like me.”

“That’s not true.” Dongwoo said.

“Your members spent the night being jealous over girls some of them don’t even care about and you didn’t even show as much possession over me. I’m going to go ahead and assume what that means.”

She headed for her door, typing in the password so fast that Dongwoo didn’t have time to think.

“I’M CELIBATE!” He shouted, unable to stop himself.

She stopped just as her door clicked open, frozen like a statue.

“I’m saving myself for marriage.” Dongwoo explained. “Sex isn’t something I’m ready for.”

As he explained, Namjoo slowly turned back to face him, an odd expression on her face. There were only two people –besides Namjoo- that he’d told this. Howon and his ex. He didn’t exactly talk about it. Not when everyone in the world was having sex like bunnies.

“It’s not that I don’t like you-”

“Do you like me?” She asked, walking back to him.

“Yes. Yes, I do.” He answered honestly.

“Then let’s be celibate together.” She said, finally reaching him.

The offer was tempting but he’d had it before. He knew what it would cost both of them.

“No.” He shook his head. “I’m not doing that again.”

“What?” She asked.

“I had a girlfriend for four years, Namjoo.” He explained. “She said she’d wait. She did wait. But then she couldn’t take it anymore. We grew up and all our friends grew up and everyone around us was having sex. And after four years of investing in someone, she realized she couldn’t handle it anymore.”

“Oppa-”

“I understand that it sounds exciting or brave but it’s really not, Namjoo. I’m not going to offer you sex-”

“Please listen to-”

“And I’m never going to take it if I’m not married.” He completed. “Maybe you really do want to be celibate today but what happens two years from now when you’re tired of it and your APink members have stories to tell that you don’t?”

“I could wait.” She said, holding his shirt as Dongwoo held both her hands.

He believed her. He could see it in her eyes. She really would wait. She was being honest. But so was his ex when she’d promised him forever, too.

“I can’t.” Dongwoo said, shaking his head as he unlatched her hand from his shirt and headed for the elevator.

*********

The next morning Sungyeol stood on his balcony, chewing a stick as he stretched with a happy cup of coffee sitting on the wall. If he looked to his left, he could see Seungri and Youngbae’s balcony. But he never did, these days. Not since Howon had moved in. After looking and seeing things he wasn’t meant to for the tenth time, he’d approached and begged that Seungri and Howon pulled their curtains closed. Permanently.

Before they happened, Sungyeol eluded himself into think that he was freaky. But they’d re-birthed his thinking the first day he saw something that no other human being is supposed to witness besides the people engaging in the act. That had cured Sungyeol of his inclination to look left whenever he stood on the balcony. So he’d begged. And Howon had laughed. And then they’d closed the curtains from then on.

But you could never be too safe. So he just didn’t look anymore.

And yet, as he stood there, enjoying his morning, he heard a very familiar scream that –in spite of of his convictions- he turned around and looked left. He wasn’t surprised that they’d once again, forgotten to close the curtains. But even that wasn’t the most disturbing thing.

Neil. Bent over. In pained pleasure. Whimpering… or crying? As Seungri was behind him, _his_ own face blocked by Neil’s backside.

“Oh! My eyes!” Sungyeol screamed and Neil looked up, confused for a second before he realized that Sungyeol had seen him.

He squirmed and fell off the bed to reveal a laughing Seungri, who was reaching for his blankets. As Howon entered the frame of the window, also laughing at Neil, Sungyeol decided he’d had enough and went back into the apartment, itching for some horror movie to help him unsee what he just saw.

He hated Neil. How could he have gotten laid? He’d seen Howon flirting with Neil but that had only been a part of the plan, right? He could not believe the stupid boy not only got to sleep with Howon but Seungri, too? Sungyeol hated him so much. Sungyeol returned home, angry and sad and aching and all the bad things between while that idiot got off like a bandit. He was never going to speak to Neil again until he (Sungyeol) got laid. Properly.

There was a tentative knock at the door. Sungyeol knew who it was before he opened the door.

“I forgot this was your floor too.” Neil said.

“So you’d have been fine, traumatizing some other unsuspecting family?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Sit.” Sungyeol said. As Neil obeyed, he went on educate Niel on the rules of having sex in Seungri’s bed because there was only so much… happiness Sungyeol could take before he picked up an axe.

“Fine. I get it. Shut the windows.” Neil said. “It was closed last night. Howon-hyung opened it this morning to wake us up.”

Myungsoo’s room door opened and he came out, dressed for the day. Sungyeol felt like he should say something but he didn’t know what to say. So he watched Myungsoo head for the door, wear his shoes and leave. And Sungyeol just knew where he was going.

“What’s up with you two?”

“It’s nothing.”

Neil deadpanned.

“Imagine if I’d said that to you.” Neil said.

And Sungyeol told him everything.

*********

Myungsoo got out of the cab, looking at his phone again to be sure he was at the right place. He gulped as he approached the gate, unsure of what to do. He found knob and pressed it.

“Who is it?” A man asked through the telecom.

“Infinite’s L.” He said and the gate buzzed open.

Shaking slightly, he stepped through as the gate began to close behind him.

*********

“How is it that we went on dates with girls,” Minsoo was saying. “And it’s you two who got laid?”

Ricky was smiling cheekily as Neil just held his smug face in place.

“You could have gotten laid too.” Chunji said.

“With who?” Minsoo. “Naeun’s a girl and Sunggyu’s straight. What am I going to do with either of them?”

“At least you didn’t have Woohyun-hyung biting your head off for breathing.” Changjo grouched. “What was up with them last night?”

“It was like they were all on something.”

“Myungsoo-hyung punched me.” Chunji said and everyone looked at him. “Don’t tell me you didn’t see the shiner.”

“Myungsoo-hyung?” L.Joe asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I was there.”

“He’s the nicest Infinite member. Are you sure you weren’t drunk?” Minsoo asked.

“Why are you people more concerned about him being the one to punch me than about my black eye?”

“Because you get in fights all the time, Chunji-hyung.” Maknae said. “Make-up noonas hate you because of it.”

“Well, I didn’t start that fight. I went to thank him for giving me a role and next thing I know, he’s punching me and accusing me of sleeping around to get the role.”

“He did not.” L.Joe said.

“True. Chunji, the story doesn’t sound like something that would happen.” Minsoo said.

“If you’d said you bragged about the role and he started crying and then you punched him and some other Infinite member came and punched you. Then I’ll believe.” Changjo offered as the rest of Teentop nodded their agreement.

“I believe him.” Neil said quietly.

“What?” L.Joe said. “Chunji and Myungsoo-hyung, who’s more violent?”

“Chunji-hyung but I believe Myungsoo-hyung started it.”

“Why?” Minsoo asked.

“Sungyeol-hyung told me something.” Neil said. “The producer wanted to have sex with Myungsoo-hyung but he refused. So they gave the role to Chunji-hyung.”

Chunji looked like someone had punched him in the gut as the other Teentop members registered stunned looks.

“I provoked him.” Chunji confessed. “I said he’d botched the audition. God.” Chunji left the kitchen. “I have to call and apologize.”

“Are you sure?” Ricky asked as Chunji left.

“Sungyeol-hyung said they fought about it. He’s going to have to take the second lead now because of it.”

Minsoo slammed his fist on the counter.

“I wouldn’t take it.” He said angrily. “They can go to hell.”

“It’s his job.” Neil said.

“So what?” Minsoo said. “If they’ve done it now, they’ll do it again.”

“What did his CEO say?” L.Joe asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t think he’s told him.”

“He should.” Ricky said.

“Andy-hyung would never let that kind of thing happen to us.” Changjo said, looking around for assurance.

“He won’t.” Minsoo said with conviction as Chunji came back into the kitchen.

“I can’t get through.” Chunji said, holding his phone up. “I’ve been calling, but his phone’s been switched off."

*****

IN-PI-NI-TU CHAT 

**HYUN: r we awake?**

**DINO: sup?**

**HYUN: whrs err1?**

**JONG: m’hr**

**HOYA: here**

**YEOL: cnt tlk 2 hoya ryt nw**

**YEOL: he’s ruind my eyz**

**HOYA: *smirk***

**HYUN: whrs gyu-hyung?**

**GYU: I’m here.**

**GYU: What is it, hyun?**

**HYUN: we nid 2 aplgz**

**YEOL: wtf is aplgz?**

**HYUN: APPOLOGIZE**

**HOYA: 2 who?**

**HYUN: APink**

**HYUN: n Teentop**

**JONG: wat dd we do nw?**

**HYUN: wrnt u der last nyt?**

**HYUN: I saw u wit ricky n NJ**

**JONG: we all had hapi endnz, hyung**

**JONG: I ddnt offnd ny1**

**HYUN: any1 else?**

**HOYA: I say HY gt wat she desrvd**

**DINO: Hoya!**

**HOYA: Payback’s a b******

**YEOL: she was wif Neil, ena?**

**YEOL: twasn’t hoya’s fault she chose a gay guy**

**HOYA: tell hyun, pls**

**HYUN: u guys wldnt fil dat way**

**HYUN: if I tld u wat Eunji tld me**

**DINO: wat dd she say?**

**HOYA: wat dd she say?**

**YEOL: wat dd she say?**

**GYU: What did she say?**

**HYUN: dey’re in luv wif us**

**HYUN: n dat dey heard me sayn it was fruitless**

**HYUN: so dey tot dey shud move on**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**HYUN: guys?!!!**

**HYUN: y is no 1 sayn anythn?**

**HOYA: deyr in luv wif us?**

**JONG: since when?**

**YEOL: wat ds dat mean?**

**DINO: see y I said dat was stupid?**

**HYUN: dey all hv crushes on Infinite members**

**HYUN: dats y dey cock-blocked us**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**HYUN: y r u ppl quiet?**

**HOYA: wat do u want us 2 say?**

**YEOL: lastnit was a rily bad idea**

**DINO: I hate to say it**

**DINO: but…**

**DINO: I TOLD YOU SO**

**GYU: We should apologize**

**GYU: To Teentop, too.**

**GYU: They didn’t deserve our behavior as well.**

**HOYA: Gyu-hyung, ur formal speech hurts my eyz**

**HOYA: >_< **

**GYU: I’m serious.**

**HOYA: I knw**

**YEOL: we rily messd up**

**YEOL: ddnt we?**

**DINO: u guys rily messd up**

**HYUN: n u literarily drove d getaway car**

**HYUN: ur just as guilty as we r**

**HOYA: so wat do we do nw?**

**HYUN: we say sorry**

**HYUN: I dnt knw**

**HYUN: any ideas?**

**JONG: has any1 seen soo-hyung?**

**DINO: is he stil aslp?**

**YEOL: he lft since mrng**

**GYU: To where?**

**YEOL: dnt knw if I’m suppsd 2 say**

**GYU: Where did he go, Lee Sungyeol?**

**YEOL: funny story…**

*********

The Infinite members stood in Sungyeol’s apartment and he could feel the judgment coming off of them.

“You didn’t think to tell me this last night?” Sunggyu asked in his leader-voice.

“He was pissed that I knew. I didn’t want to worsen it.”

“Do you remember the address?” Woohyun asked.

“No. I wasn’t really thinking of that when I read it.”

“I don’t understand.” Sungjong said. “I thought he said he didn’t want the part.”

“That was after they’d given it to someone else, Jongie.” Howon explained.

The bell rang and so Sungyeol went to open the door. His jaw nearly dropped when he spotted who was standing there.

“Good afternoon, sir.” Sungyeol said, bowing from the waist.

“Does Kim Myungsoo live here?” The short, older man asked, taking off his face cap to reveal slightly graying hair.

“Yes sir. Please come in, sir.” Sungyeol shifted and allowed him in.

He took off his shoes and entered the house.

“Would you like something to drink?” Sungyeol asked as the rest of Infinite, on turning to see who it was, stood to their feet, bowing.

“Is he around?”

“Who sir?” Sunggyu asked.

“Kim Myungsoo. I was told he lives here.”

“He’s not home right now. But we can call him.”

“May I ask why you’re looking for him sir?”

The man laughed.

“Lee Byunghun sent me.” He explained. “He called in one of his favors by sending me a referral of Kim Myungsoo. Apparently, he was very good as Secretary Gil. But that’s not what sold me on the boy.”

“What did, sir?” Sungyeol asked, unable to hold himself.

“Byunghun told me about an incident with him and a producer. I’m given to understand that he refused to do anything despicable in exchange for a role. Not every day you hear of such integrity. I hear your group is full of good boys, too.” He nodded at Sunggyu. “You’re the leader, right?”

“Yes sir.” Sunggyu said, bowing again.

“Good job with these boys. I already called your CEO but I was hoping to see Myungsoo for myself. Get a feel to him before we started talking business.”

“Business?” Dongwoo asked.

“Are you scouting him?” Howon asked, unable to hide the joy in his voice.

“You could say that.” The man laughed. “But I’m afraid my surprise attack has been foiled because he’s not even here. Anyways,” he put his hand in his pocket and retrieved a card, holding it out to Sunggyu. “Give it to him when he gets back. Have him give me a call, okay?”

“Yes sir.” Sunggyu said.

The man waved and left as the apartment grew silent.

“Can someone please call Myungsoo?” Sunggyu said but about three members already had their phones out.

“It’s not going through.” Woohyun said in worry.

“His phone is dead.” Dongwoo said. “Or switched off. We can’t get to him.”

Sungyeol stared at the card in Sunggyu’s hand.

“Oh god!”

He whispered to himself, but somehow, the other members heard him.

*********

Sungyeol couldn’t eat that evening. Sunggyu assured them that he’d get to the bottom of it so he called Myungsoo’s manager who gave him a phone number. The woman’s phone was switched off too. The manager didn’t know where she lived, so Sunggyu went to CEO. Sungyeol wasn’t sure what that would do if Myungsoo went ahead and signed the contract. Or worse…

Sungyeol couldn’t eat.

He sat in his room, watching manwahs that he had seen already but unable to stop himself because it felt like Myungsoo was with him. And not with her. Or anybody else. He really didn’t do enough. If he hadn’t wussed out on the fight, Myungsoo would still be here. He’d never have gone out and slept with that woman and ruined his chance at actual movie, not just a drama. The man who had come in earlier didn’t do dramas anymore. If he was here, then he was scouting Myungsoo for the big screen.

Sungyeol couldn’t eat at all. His stomach wouldn’t let him.

He looked at the card again as he heard the apartment door click open. He was out of his bed in a flash, racing for the door only to slow down the moment his eyes met with Myungsoo’s outside the room.

Myungsoo looked drunk. He also looked like he’d been crying and his jacket was slung over his shoulder in defeat.

“How…?” Sungyeol began as Myungsoo just looked at him, no modicum of fight left in him. “Should I get you dinner?” Sungyeol asked and Myungsoo nodded.

He rushed to the fridge and brought out his dinner and shoved it in the microwave.

Sungyeol was not going to cry. He had to be the strong one. He had to keep his nerves around him when he explained that Myungsoo had ruined his chances for a better role by lowering to a worse one than he even wanted. Sungyeol breathed in and out, trying to calm his nerves. He wondered if he should call someone or if he should just drop the food and go. They could discuss it in the morning when Myungsoo didn’t look like death.

The microwave rang and he removed the food and took it to Myungsoo who had taken off his clothes and was now lying on his bed with nothing but his underwear. He rose, the moment Sungyeol entered.

“Thank you, hyung.” He said meekly, taking the tray.

“Will you join me?”

“No, it’s alright. I already ate.” He lied as he sat on the edge of the bed. His tongue felt heavy and yet weightless. He wanted to talk but he didn’t know how. It was biting at him and soon, he knew he would explode in the worst way. He was about to talk when Myungsoo beat him to it.

“I couldn’t go through with it.” Myungsoo said and Sungyeol had to shake his head because he couldn’t have heard correctly. “I went to her house and everything. But I couldn’t go through with it.” Myungsoo shrugged as tears began to fall from his eyes. He continued eating though. “I guess I won’t even get _that_ role. And I’m sad about it. How pathetic is that?”

Too happy to care, Sungyeol leaned across the tray and planted his mouth firmly on Myungsoo’s without much forethought. He didn’t even care that Myungsoo had let go of the tray and it –along with everything on it- was now sprawled on the floor and soaking into Myungsoo’s expensive, ginger carpet.


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> infinite tries to make amends

"You're sure it was Kim Namah-shi who gave you this?" Myungsoo asked, lying on his back and staring at the business card in his hand as Sungyeol littered kisses on his neck. Sungyeol hummed. "He just walked right in and asked for me?"

"I'm going to shove my hand in your pants now." Sungyeol said as Myungsoo giggled, trying to turn away but Sungyeol wouldn't let him.

"Yeolie, I'm serious." Myungsoo whined.

"And so am I."

Sungyeol was lying atop Myungsoo, one hand holding him up by the elbow as the other worked on Myungsoo's zipper. Myungsoo felt another giggle coming and he couldn't even suppress it if he tried. He was too excited. Sungyeol was kissing him. Kim Namah wanted to work with him. If this was a movie, it would be a musical. He grabbed Sungyeol's face and kissed him, biting at his upper lip and hearing Sungyeol hiss in slight pain.

"Soo." Sungyeol said breathlessly. "God, I'm going to bruise."

"I'm sorry." Myungsoo said against his lips.

"No. Please. Don't stop." Sungyeol said quickly.

"I'm not talking about the kiss."

Sungyeol froze, his hand about to breach the underwear. He looked down into Myungsoo's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Sungyeol looked worried and that was the last thing Myungsoo wanted.

"About the things I in the elevator." Myungsoo blushed.

Sungyeol laughed.

"You are so cute, it's unreal."

"I serious." Myungsoo said, slapping Sungyeol's shoulder.

Sungyeol rolled off him, sitting beside Myungsoo as he pulled Myungsoo up to do the same.

"How many times have I been in a bad place? How many times have you been there for me?"

"I don't really know." Myungsoo shrugged. "I never count."

"Exactly." Sungyeol stated. "And I can't even count the amount of hurtful things I've said to you."

"You were in a bad place." Myungsoo said, defending Sungyeol.

"And so were you."

 _Right_ , Myungsoo said, rolling his eyes at his own stupidity.

He leaned over and kissed Sungyeol again, pressing against him till he was straddling Sungyeol's hips.

"I'm going to enjoy this."

"Honestly, we've been making out all night." Sungyeol said. "Shouldn't we... I don't know... up the ante?"

Myungsoo laughed as he phone began vibrating on the side-cupboard. He reached over and picked it up and answered as Sungyeol continued to kiss his neck, his cheek, his chest.

"Hyung!" Myungsoo called happily into the phone.

"Myungie." Byunghun cheered right back. "Did you talk to Namah?"

"I wasn't home."

Sungyeol unbuttoned Myungsoo's shirt as he laid kisses unto his chest, reverently.

"He left his card." Byunghun inquired.

"Yes. I'll call him today." Myungsoo looked outside and saw that the morning was barely bright. "Why are you calling so early?"

"Sorry." Byunghun sighed. "Time difference."

"No problem, hyung. I was awake anyway."

Sungyeol bit his nipple and Myungsoo moaned feeling his pants stretch tighter.

"Are you okay?" Byunghun asked.

"Yes." Myungsoo gasped. "I'm fine."

Sungyeol pulled off one hand of the shirt as Myungsoo passed the phone to the other hand so he could remove the shirt totally.

"Call me before you talk to Namah. Call me immediately you're done. I want details. He hated Cunning Single Lady but he had nice things to say about you after he watched it."

"Really?" Myungsoo asked as Sungyeol shifted him off his lap so he could lick at Myungsoo's belly button. Myungsoo could hardly keep his voice steady anymore.

"Yes. I can only imagine what he's going to do with you in this new movie. The lead actor was in an accident. I know I should be sorry for him, but you get the part, so I'm not."

Myungsoo would have chastised Byunghun for his carelessness, if he did not have Sungyeol heading in the direction of his crotch. So he really couldn't care less.

"Raise your hips." Sungyeol whispered as Myungsoo moaned.

"Who was that?" Byunghun asked.

"What?" Myungsoo was kind of woozy at the moment.

"Was that...?" Byunghun hissed. "Are you talking to me and doing other things, Myungsoo?"

"Hyung... I..." He really couldn't form a sentence.

"Eww. Myungsoo, eww. You disgusting little child." The line went dead as Sungyeol and Myungsoo burst into laughter.

"He's going to ignore you for a month." Sungyeol said, pulling Myungsoo's pants off.

"Right." Myungsoo scoffed. "He could never."

*********

Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun and Howon sat in the apartment Chorong shared with Eunji and Namjoo. All APink members were present but they stuck to one side of the room, leaving Infinite to sit on the other with the center table squarely between them. Dongwoo could not remember the last time he had seen that table. Every time Infinite called to say they would be over, the table was never there. More space for all thirteen of them. But today, it stood in their midst like the symbol of discord that it truly was. 

They may as well all have been at an interview for how formally they sat. Sunggyu and Dongwoo sat on the single-seat sofas while Woohyun stood and Howon sat on the arm of Dongwoo's chair. On the other side, Chorong, Naeun, Bomi and Hayoung sat on the sofa while Eunji and Namjoo stood behind them. To say the morning stood awkward would not be a far stretch from the truth.

"We are here to apologize for our behavior on Friday." Sunggyu said, moving to sit at the edge of his seat. "We would all be here but Sungjong and Sungyeol have a shoot with Jetesy and Myungsoo has a meeting."

Dongwoo noted the tremor of discomfort in Sunggyu's voice. A rare occurrence but he supposed it was just going to be that type of day.

"Why?" Chorong asked.

She didn't elaborate but the specifics of the question wasn't lost on any of them.

"We may have misunderstood the situation." Woohyun attempted to explain.

"Misunderstood what?" Chorong said, seeming to be the only one in APink capable of speech.

"We always thought it was just a game you guys played to mess with us, alright?" Howon said, standing. "We didn't know..." He trailed off, looking to Sunggyu and Woohyun for help. 

Dongwoo sat there, incredibly sure that he owed no one an apology. He didn't do anything wrong in his opinion. No matter how pointedly Namjoo was fixing her stare on him, he was not going to apologize for anything.

"Didn't know what?" Hayoung asked, looking at Howon. Dongwoo could read no anger in her voice, just real confusion. "What didn't you know, Oppa?"

Howon's ears began to redden in embarrassment.

"I mean... Woohyun told us... I don't know... why is no one else talking?" he asked, looking at his hyungs who were all looking at him like he was on his own with that line of defense.

"What didn't you know?" Bomi asked.

Woohyun sighed.

"Eunji told me that," He paused and Dongwoo saw Eunji's eyes finally look up behind him and he knew she was looking at Woohyun. "She said that you guys always hounded our dates and made socializing for us hell because you... liked us."

The room stilled as all the girls -except Chorong- went red in the face in unison.

"And this is a surprise because?" Bomi asked again.

All the boys looked at Sunggyu, pleadingly. Dongwoo could tell he wished he wasn't hyung.

"Like Howon said, we didn't know. We thought it was all just for fun."

"And after how many years of living together and playing useless games together and going to events together, none of you could tell that APink members had formed attachments to certain Infinite members?" Chorong asked.

"Hey, we formed attachments, right back." Sunggyu said.

"We're not talking about you because, at least you took a hint and dated Naeun, oppa." Namjoo said. "But what did the rest of us get?" her gaze was back on Dongwoo. He lowered his eyes to his feet.

"You could have said something." Woohyun said.

Eunji laughed.

"Oppa, the moment you knew I liked you, you backed off." Eunji spat.

"That was _my_ own issue. Not Infinite. You guys can't hold the rest of them accountable for my issues." Woohyun said. "One phone call and you hear I'm not going to date Eunji and the rest of you just run?"

Eunji flinched but held her angry expression as the other girls began to look uncertain.

"It was a wake up call for them, Oppa." Chorong said, no more sounding angry. "What did you want us to do? I'm in a relationship and I thank God I never fell for any of you. But what about the rest of them? They've never even explored the possibilities of relationships outside of Infinite and the first time they do, you guys pull that kind of crap. What do you want them to think? DO you know what I've had to hear this weekend?"

"Unnie!" Bomi said firmly.

"They have to hear this? APink hasn't spoken to you guys in weeks and they were trying to move on but the whole of yesterday, I've had to hear "Maybe Oppa likes me", "We shouldn't have jumped into things" or my favorite, "Infinite is jealous because they are in love with us, too"."

"We are so sorry." Howon said, quietly. "You don't even know."

"It was supposed to be payback but it became something else. We'd like to make it up to you." Woohyun said as Howon, Dongwoo and Sunggyu looked up at him.

"How?" Hayoung asked. "Are you going to set us up on dates now? Or call Teentop back? Or-"

"We could do that." Woohyun said as APink looked at him like he was crazy.

"What?" Eunji asked. "You're going to pimp us out?"

"Not when you put it like that." Woohyun said, squeezing his face in distaste.

"We could do that." Howon said, enthusiastically. "Honestly. Or anything. Anything to make it not be weird between us anymore."

"We miss you guys." Sunggyu said.

Dongwoo could see the girls melting just a bit, though a few though birds like Naeun and Eunji just sat there, staring ahead stoically.

"Anything?" Chorong asked.

And Dongwoo could just see the hole Infinite had dug for themselves

*********

Sungjong did not return in time for dinner so Dongwoo packed the remaining of his order and put it in the fridge in case Sungjong got back home hungry. He was just about to turn out the lights in the sitting room when the bell rang. It couldn't be an Infinite member. They knew each other's password. Dongwoo didn't know anyone who would visit him at night.

One look through the monitor to find Namjoo standing outside and Dongwoo knew he should turn around and go to bed.

But he opened the door, regardless.

"Oppa." She said. "Can I come in?"

She made her way in without waiting for his reply. As per usual.

"I have a speech." She declared, turning around to look at him as he followed her into the sitting room.

"Let's here it." He said, offering her a seat but she remained standing.

"I know you're celibate and I get it." She said. "But I'm celibate too."

Dongwoo sighed.

"Namjoo-"

"I may not have made the commitment but have I ever given any indication that I wanted to sleep with you?"

Dongwoo raised his eyebrows.

"Do you know how long I've liked you?" She asked before he could speak.

"Since we met." He replied and she fumbled a little.

"Yes." She blushed. "I didn't know you knew that."

"I did."

"But you were with someone else." She said. "Five years, oppa. If I wanted to sleep with you, don't you think I would have ended up in your bed, naked at some point?"

Dongwoo tilted his head in thought. She did have a point. As forward as she had always been, she had never tried to seduce him into anything. All she had ever done was close to or around PG13 behavior.

"I suppose so." He said. "But then what do you want from me? If you don't want sex, and as you're saying, we can keep on being as we've always been, then what do you think will change if we start dating?"

"You'll be mine then." She said simply. "I'd go to bed knowing I have your promise and you'll go to bed knowing you have mine. I may not have been celibate but I understand the seriousness of sex and I don't think I'm ready for it either."

"So what happens if one day you are?"

"What happens if I end up waiting till I'm married?" She asked right back.

"Namjoo this is a serious thing." Dongwoo said.

"You think I don't know that? I'm not asking you to change for me. I'll never do that. For all my complaining about what a bore you are, the truth is, that's what I've always loved about you."

"Love is a strong word." Dongwoo said, blushing.

"I meant _love_ , oppa." Namjoo said seriously. "Imagine if you refuse me and I wait anyway. What would that get us?"

"Nothing, I guess." Dongwoo said. "But you need to understand what you're asking."

"I do. More than anything."

Dongwoo laughed uneasily, looking at her to find nothing but seriousness in her demeanor.

"You really want this? Me?"

Namjoo groans in frustration.

"What have I been saying ever since?"

"Okay. Okay. Fine." He smiled and stepped towards her, holding her on her waist. "But if we're going to do this, we need to set boundaries. Rules for the both of us."

"Rules?" Namjoo asked. "What do you need rules for? I thought you're used to this by now."

"I'm a man, Namjoo. I'm not a log of wood."

"Yeah, I see your point." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck as she hugged him tightly.

*********

Three days later, when Infinite headed to Teentop's dorm, Sunggyu and Howon had to re-record their parts in a song and Woohyun could leave because he got his done first. Dongwoo had rehearsal so he didn't come. So it was just Woohyun and the maknae line. Sungyeol told them, he'd told Neil so Teentop was waiting in their dorm when Infinite arrived. Even though they had Teentop's password, Woohyun felt weird entering without a profound welcome because they were not there to have fun: they had come to apologize.

Minsoo and L.joe met them at the door. In the sitting room, Ricky and Changjo were laying out drinks as Neil turned off the television. Neil had already told them that Chunji might be late because he had a reading for his drama.

Sungyeol had assumed the air would be as thick as the hyungs had described it as being with APink but if anything, Teentop seemed to be of the mindset that they had wronged Infinite somehow. Even Changjo was calmer, leaving his snarkiness outside and this confused Sungyeol just a little bit. He looked at Neil for an explanation but Neil just looked away.

"We came to apologize for Friday." Woohyun began but had to stop.

Five surprised eyes stared back at Infinite.

"Okay..." Woohyun said carefully. "Are we missing something?"

"Neil-hyung told us we were encroaching on Infinite territory with APink." Ricky explained.

"Wait, what?" Sungyeol asked and all the Infinite members looked at him begrudgingly.

"What did you tell them, hyung?" Sungjong asked and Sungyeol waved his hands in defense.

"I didn't tell them anything." Sungyeol said because if Neil said something to Teentop, the only person in Infinite who could have told him would be Sungyeol. "Honestly."

"Hyung, you told me about how you people were upset that we went on dates with APink." Neil said.

"And that somehow meant that we owned them? They are our _friends_. We just felt a little left behind is all." Sungyeol asked. "We were being stupid and APink is not our _territory_."

Minsoo shrugged.

"I don't know, hyung." He said. "You guys kinda acted possessive on Friday."

Sungyeol's face burned heatedly.

"Did you hear me say we were being stupid?" Sungyeol asked.

"We are sorry. We're the ones who should be apologizing." Sungjong said. "That's why we're here."

"Ohhhh!" Teentop nodded in unison and understanding.

"When is Chunji coming back?" Myungsoo asked as the door to the dorm clicked open and Myungsoo was on his feet.

Chunji rushed into the room and stopped when his eyes landed on Myungsoo. His bruise was still present but it looked a lot better.

"Hyung." He said, walking into the sitting room slowly. "I thought I would make it back before you got here."

"I'm sorry for punching you." Myungsoo said.

"What?" Chunji laughed. "I kinda deserved it."

"Okay, so you guys seem to be under a misguided notion that you did anything wrong." Woohyun interjected. 

"I called him a bad actor." Chunji said defensively.

"And I've never heard that before?" Myungsoo asked, looking amused.

Chunji sighed and sat beside Minsoo.

"This is all so messed up. When did we stop being Teenfinite?" Chunji asked.

"I know right?" Sungjong said, joining the two of them on the floor. "It's been so weird lately."

"It's you guys who never have time for us." Changjo said, handing Woohyun a can of soda with a hesitant expression. Woohyun looked at the can and grabbed Changjo, tussling his head as Changjo struggled to be relieved of Woohyun's hold. He didn't succeed in that endeavor.

"It's true." Ricky agreed. "You guys just stopped hanging out."

"I haven't seen you guys trying to visit either." Sungyeol said.

"Because you're Infinite now. Big, SM group."

"And you're not?" Woohyun asked.

"We're SM, second generation. Andy hyung _was_ the one in an SM group." Minsoo corrected, taking a drink for himself as Neil turned the television back. He began setting up a game.

"But still, we're related to SM, somehow. Shouldn't we be closer?" Chunji asked, opening a packet of chips and handing it to Myungsoo.

"Everyone's so busy." Sungyeol whined. "When would we find the time?"

"Right?!" Minsoo and Sungjong said together.

"So who's playing with me?" Myungsoo said, getting up to head closer to the television.

Niel opened his mouth to speak but Woohyun cut him off.

"Hey. I call first hand." Woohyun said. "Changjo get me the controller." Woohyun motioned to the controller in Niel's hand.

"I wanted to play first." Niel argued. "That's the reason I set this whole thing up."

"Guest is God." Woohyun said stubbornly.

"I think you mean, Customer is God, hyung." Changjo said and Woohyun pulled his mouth so painfully that Changjo hissed.

"Now sit there quietly like a good little maknae."

"I'm taller than you." Changjo mumbled but made no move to leave either.

And that's how Sunggyu and Howon found the ten of them a couple of hours later.

"Dongwoo's rehearsal will run till night." Howon said, waving his phone at them.

"Hyung!" Niel said, getting to his feet as he pulled Howon away, into his room.

"Since when?" Sunggyu asked, taking Niel's seat.

"Since Friday." Minsoo said, unhappily. "I don't know how I feel about that."

Sunggyu deadpanned.

"Minsoo, you're gay too." Sunggyu informed him.

"It's not that. It's the in-a-relationship-with-two-hyungs, thing."

"I see." Sunggyu nodded. "Don't you trust Howon?"

"I do."

"Do you trust me?"

"You know I do, hyung."

"Then don't worry. If he gets in trouble, I'll smack Howon and Seungri for you. How about that?"

Sunggyu offered Minsoo his hand.

"Deal." Minsoo nodded as he shook the hand.

 

*********

"I cannot believe they did it." Hayoung giggled as they all sat around staring at pictures on their phone.

"Whose idea was it in the first place?" Chorong teased as Hayoung giggled and continued to scroll down her phone.

"So are we really doing this?" Bomi asked. "I know we said we'd post the pictures online. But were we serious?"

"It'll ruin Infinite." Naeun said, shaking her head. "I can't believe they'd be so stupid."

"They're sorry, is what they are." Eunji said. She laughed. "They said they'd do anything and we asked them to do this and take pictures so we could put it up on SNS. They did."

"My God. This is so risky. Do you have any idea the things we could get them to do right now?" Namjoo asked, her eyes bulged in surprise.

All the girls looked at each other before they fell into laughter clutching their chests in mirth.

"So now what?" Naeun asked. "We're not really doing it are we?"

"No. We can't. We'll delete them all. Together. Now. No copies. I'm sure Infinite's deleted them from their devises."

"But then we wouldn't have anything to hold over their heads." Hayoung said.

"They don't have to know we've deleted them. Anytime you want something done, just wave your phone in their face."

"Genius." Eunji said as she deleted the pictures on her phone.

"Fine by me." Naeun deleted hers.

"Eh." Bomi shrugged and cleared her receive folder.

Chorong deleted hers and looked at Namjoo who was squinting at her phone.

"We agreed we'd delete it." Chorong said.

"I don't want to show anyone." Namjoo blushed. "But it'd be nice to have this picture of Dongwoo. Just his."

"DELETE IT!" All of them screamed at her.

"Okay, okay. Fine." Namjoo said, deleting it. "There."

The girls looked at each other for a second.

Then they burst into laughter again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So next stop, Sunggyu/Jongwan and Sungjong/Taesan


End file.
